Planoorapii co



C. B. GRAY.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING SHEET FORM MATERIAL. APPLlCAflON FILED 0-0126I I917. 1 ,3 1 3,481 Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

1 6 SHEETSSH,EET l.

S. M M @Q flw/w mm N NQ 9 bR mm NU $9 Wu 9Q @b N v N ,bm 909 mum co.. wAsnmd'mu. n. c.

c. BQGRIAY. .MACHINE FOR CUTTING SHEET FORM MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.'26. I9I7.

Patented A u'g. 1Q, 1919.

E1 pm I I D5 6 D8 2 71 I 7 05 6.7 Ifi e T 15 CZZ 3 cz r 21 ,B F I I 5 16 I H II 1 3 E 1 0 317 fly -Ff 1; FIG. 2. j a

IQ Li attozna I.

C. B. GRAY.

. n MACHINE FOR CUTTING SHEET FORM MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED 0011261 I917.

1,313,481. Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

1316 p D15 1216 1 77 12/7 F] 8 ,By G I D1 D 12 311 l J59 8 $8 i D22 is ,515 E0 L'I D23 filo MI 3 1.

jg :1 3 W5 56 FIGO4.

, ]wucvltoz Q @ww I/ I C.B.GRAY. MACHINE FOR CUTTING SHEET FORM MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.26, I917.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919. 6' s s.

E E H 4 S T E H nmrEnsTArEs oHARLEs B. GRAY; or KNOXVILLE,TENNESSEE."

MACHINE FOR CUTTING SHE-E131 1-ZEQI|R.1VI MATERIAL.

To all. whom it may aonoemp V Be it known that I, gcnannns BAXTER GRAY, a citizenof the United Stateseresiding at Knoxville, inthe county of Knox and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Machines-for Cutting Sheet-Form l/Lateriahjofwhichthe following is a specification, reference heing had to .the accompanying drawing,

My improvement relates particularly to machines for cutting 'sheet form material on lines which, donoteontinue in the same direction. The ob'ject of theimprovement is to provide amachine for rapidly'cutting sheets of metal along lines which are'curved or angular or change course so frequently as t prevent the use ,of ordinary shearing .mas ines.- p i The} machine resembles what are now known in ti e lua1,'l\'( ,t as rotary Shears.

Tn v improved machine, provision is made for changing the direction of. the out at thenvillof the operator without turning the sheet horizontally around the point at which, the shearing is being done. When the direction of cutting and the direction of feed have been thus ohafnged,,,the sheet is stillifree to be turned manually for changing the direction of [the cut on the sheet. The course .of the cutting also be va i'ied by simultaneously. changing the'direction of the feed and turning the sheet .manu; ally with the shearing point as an axis. ,The change in the direction. of the feedis to be used when the sheet is so wide or so longas to make it cumbersome for handling or as to prevent its turning through thethroat formed between the upper. and lower arms of the machines. v

In'the accompanying drawings, V

Figure 1 is a frontelevation .of a machine embodying my improvement, portions being broken away; i I

Fig. 2 is an elevation looking toward the right in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 1s a planof the ni'aehine shown in.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation looking at the machine towarcLthe left in Figs., 1 and 3;

Fig t is an enlarged upright sectionon theline, 5-5, of Fig. v A p Specification of LettersIate-ntg '1 latntggd A110, 19, 1919'. Application.filedhctoher 26, 19.17. ser ai uo. 198,657. I' i Fig fi a horizontal section ontheline, 6 6, of F1gs.-;1'and 5,

- Fig.,.Z, is a. horizontal section on the; line,

' 7+7, of Fig. 1, portions beingfpmittedg Fig. 8 is anj enlarged upright seetion von the line, 8-8, ofFig. 1', looking, toward the r1ght;' v

" -Fig. 1(Lis anenlarged horizontal seetion ingjth e of the Fig. 9 is anupright section ongthe line,

Fig. 13 is a 'pergpecuveview showing ja bracketcasting. H a I For conveniencein description, it is to be understood that the face of :the machine shown in Fig. 1 is the front of th'e inachine and forwardl is from the rear of the maehine toward the front, and 'that backward is'in the opposite; direction. v v Referring to said drawings, A isthebody of the machinehaving the upper arrn; A and the lower arm, A approximatelyparallel to the arnnAh, Between said; arms is the throat"; The body, A, is supported on a base, A s' ec'ured to the body by boltsf A. Onytheflouter end ofgthe upper arm is an upright bearing, A on the outer end of the lower arm is a hearing, A, in axial alinemenawith the bearing, A Below the "hearing, A, is a chamber, A. i f y In the bearing, A, is an upright rotary shaft, B, which extends upward even with the upper end of thebearing, A, and dow'hwar'd intothe chamber, A to the upper end of the screw shaft, A whichextends upward through the threaded aperture, A formed. in the.,arm, A in axial alinement with the shaft, B. On the lower end. of the screw shaft isa hand wheel, A Above the hand wheel, the screw shaft is surrounded by a split nut, A. At opposite sides ofthe cut, the nut has ears, A. A" screw, A extends transversely and horizontally. through said ears for drawing the latter together. to bind said nut upon said shaft o firmly as to ment'ofsaid shaft while the gear wheel, B

rests upon the bevel gear, B which is keyed on the horizontal drive shaft, Bfl which extends through the lower arm, A and is supported in a bearing, 'B,-ad acent the bevel. wheel, B and in bearings, B at'the right hand portion ofthe body,A. Between'said' bearings said shaft is surrounded by and keyed to a worm gearwheel, B, which meshes witha horizontal worm, B having its shaft, B ,'resting in bearings, B, On said shaft is a loose pulley, B the interior of which forms one member of a conical clutch; The other member, B, ofsaid I clutch'surroundssaid shaft and is feathered thereon to permitislidingendwise and to compel rotation'with said sh'aft. On said member is an annular groove, B A clutch arm, B ,engages in said groove and is supported rigidly on the rock shaft, B Said shaft rests in bearings, B and B At its left hand end, said shaft supports a horizontal arm, B, to which isfcoupledfan upright pedal 'rod, B the lower end of which is coupled to a pedal, B A torsion spring, B is attached by one end to the shaft, B, and by its other end to the bearing, B to turn said shaft for disengaging the clutch when the pedal, B is released. These-parts are arranged for the engagement of the clutch by the depression of the, pedal.

On the upper end of'said shaft, B, and in axial alinement therewith is a disk-form head, B, which is integral with or firmly attached to said'shaft. In the" upper'face of said head is anannular recess, 13. The lower shear wheel, B 3, has an annular boss or downward extension, B, which fits into the recess, B Along the periphery of said wheel isan upright annular flange, B, the upper face of which is approximately horizontal and roughenedto facilitate engagement with the lower face of a. piece of sheet metal which is to be sheared. A screw bolt, B extends downward through said wheel into the shaft, B, and firmly binds said shearing wheel to the head, B Said head and said shearing wheel are preferably made of the same diameter,.as shown by the drawing. p

The shearing wheel, B flworks in conjunction with the upper shearing wheel, whichwill be described furtheron.

In the upper bearing, A is a tubular, journal-form turret body, C, having its upper end even with the upper end of said bearing. Across the upper end of said body is placed a worm gear wheel, C concentric with the axis of the turret body and secured tothe latter by means of cap'screws, C extending through the worm wheel into the wall of the turret body. The worm wheel rests fiatwise upon the upper end of the bearing, A and thus holds the turret body against downward movement within said bearing. At'the left of said worm wheel is a.

worm, G on a shaft, C resting in bearings, C which are supported on a bracket, O, formed on the left hand portion of the bearing, A On the front end of the worm shaft, C", is a hand wheel, C,by means of which the operator may rotate the worm shaft. The rotation of said shaft involves the rotation of the worm wheel, C and the turret body, -These parts are so proportioned as to cause a given movement of the hand wheel to impart a much smaller movement to the turret body.

Diametrically opposite each other and extending below the bearing, A lngs,'C are formed on the lower end of the turret body. A base plate, C9, extends across the. lower end of the bearing, A and the lower end of the turret body and has apertures, G which receive the lugs, C Below the wall of the turret body and at opposite sides of the turret axis and midway between the apertures, C slots,- O extend through, the base plate. A cap screw, C extends through each of said slots into the adjacent portionof the wallof the turret body. By means of said cap screw the base plate is bound to theturret body. Opposite each aperture, (3 a set bolt, C extends horizontally through the edge of the base plate into the adjacent a'perture,C in position to bear against the adjacent stud, C hen the cap screws, C have been loosened, the

base plate may be shifted horizontallyv parallel to the line of the set bolts, O, by retracting, one of said bolts and driving the other forward. After such shifting, the plate is again secured by a tightening ofthe bolt, C.

On the baseplate and integral therewith is formed the obliquely downward-directed bearing or barrel, O, in which rests a shaft or journal, D. On the lower end of said shaft, is a disk-form head, D which is integral with or firmly attached to said shaft. In the lower end of said head is an annular recess, D which receives a boss, (Z on the upper shearing wheel, D Said wheel has a downward-d rected flange, (P, which meets the upward-directedfiange, B of the lower shearing wheel, B A binding. bolt, D extends upward through the wheel, D into the head, D and the shaft, D,'to bind said wheelfirmly to-said'headr Saidnwheel is z preferably made .zfrusto-conical, as shown by the drawing.

i r Bothshearlng wheels are preferably made -sepztratelyafr0m rt-heira-he'ads as shown, in

order :that 'said wheels maybe tempered separately and in order that one wheel may be substituted for another-without also substituting'the adj acent head and shaft. 1

The upper'send-ofthe shaft,-fD, iextends above the bearing, C Immediatelyabove said bearing, said shaft is surrounded by a collar, Di, which is fixed on:said shaft and holds the latter against downward move-- ment through'the barrel, C w Integralwith the worm wheelyG andwbored' in axial -alinementw'ith theaturret is a bearing, D

inwhich-rests tht shaft,:D the lower'end of which is joined tothe shaft, D, bymeans of a universal coupling, DZ, Said shaft extends above said bearing andis there surrounded by a bevel gear :wheel, D Said wheel is featheredon the shafty-D so as to permit endwise sliding of saidshaft but to compel saidsha'ft and said wheelsto' rotate in unison." "Said-wheel'meshes with a bevel gear-wheel, D fwhichjis fixed on'the horizontal shaft, D which rests in threeabearings, D, on the upper arm, A wAt; its right handend,-the shaft,-*D projects through the bearing, D and there supports immovably a- :bevel gear wheel, D, which meshes with a bevelgear wheel, D which is supported immovably on-theupper end of an oblique shaft, D 9, resting in bearings, D". The "lower I end 7 of 1 the shaft, "*D' pro] ects throughthe lower bearing-D, and is surendof a ruprightshaft, D, which rests in a bearing, D 5 The lowerendzoftsaid shaft rounded'by a bevel gear, D which isrigid -onsaid shaft and meshes wit h a bevel gear,

D whichis mounted :rigidly on the upper proj ects: below the bearing, :D and ie surrounded by a bevel gear wheel, D which is rigid on said shaft and' meshes with a shaft andto c0Inpelr0tati0nwith the shaft.

threaded around said shaft;

At the right of said clutch member a coiled spring, Eflsurrounds the shaft and bears against said member L and against a nut, E Thus said spring constantly yieldingly' presses; the clutch:member, E against the clutch member, E The pressure of said springgmay bO ViLIflGClbfY turnlngthe screw,E toward nor from "the clutch. Ordinarily during the cutting operatiom-ithe meeting portions of the edges of the two -shearing-wheels travel in unison.- If tendenc to change this relation during the turning of the turret to move the upper shearing wheel in its orbital path 1 produces abnormal resistance to the rotation of the shaft, 1)", the membersof the clutch, B, willslip over each other. It will be --understood. that the normal engagement betweenathe twov clutch members issuiiicient throughihese two sets of shafts is such, as v to cause the meeting edges of the shearing wheels to move in the same direction. A

3 From theforego-ing description-it will appear-thatlthev shaft, D, the worm wheel, C

the; turret body, 0, the lower shearing wheel,

=B the :shaft, EB, and the ,screw :shaft, A,

he barrel, (31

are on a common vupright axial line. It will also. appear that the, turret body and all i the parts; supportedthereby may be turned in either :direction by-turningE the hand wheel, 07'.

1s far enough from said axial line to bring the :uppershea ring wheel *beside the lower shearing wheel, the edges bevel gear wheel, D ,on the horizontal drive shaft, B which has already beendescribed -*as receiving motion 1 from the Worm -shaft,'D i 50 The bearings, D ,D ,and the right hand bearing,-B are formed on'the bracket piece,

A which is secured; to the body, 'Ayzby bolts, A Said bracket=pieceiis-shown 1n perspective in Fig13L I i Between the left hand bearings, D D a yielding friction elutchyE, is placed on the shaft, I). Said shaft is cut transversely and at one side of said out onemember, E

of the clutch is secured rigidly to theshaft by means of a set bolt, E At theother side of the cut, the 'other -member, E of the clutchsurrounds the shaft and is feathered thereon to permit endwise movement on the 'of'the knives merely touchingin a common oint.--- e The axial line-0f the shaft, D, is in a plane gwhichwcutsdiagonallythe axial line of the turret body, whereby theupper shearing wheel becomes tilted, theportionwhich-is 5 the. lower faceof the upper shearing wheel obliquelycuts the :plane of,-the lower shearing wheel. In. this manner, the meeting edges -,of the: shearing wheelsareset into inter-engagement and position suitable forshearing.

' In @this manner, an openingzis presented for the introduction of .a sheet of material to be Since the lower shaft, 13, and, the turret bodyare; :on the same axial line, vand since =theedgei=of the lowervshearing wheelie C11- thehfartherrfrom the lower shearingwheel being thehigher,andzwhereby the'plane of cular and concentric to said axial line and since the upper knife may be moved through an orbit which is concentric to said axial line, it follows that the above-described engagement between the two shearing wheels will be retained regardless of the position which the upper shearing wheel occupies in its orbital path.

The shearing wheels also serve as feed wheels for the sheet to be cut, both of said wheels being positive feed elements.

In operation, the turret is turned into position to bring the upper shearing wheel into the portion of its orbital path which will cause the two shearing wheels to make a cut in the desired direction. hen, for example, the upper shearing wheel is set toward the right, as shown in Fig. 1, the cut will be on a line which is perpendicular to the upright plane of the arms, A and A If said upper wheel is placed at the opposite side of the lower shearing wheel, the cut will be on a line parallel to the line already mentioned, but the direction of the feed of the sheet will be reversed. By placing the upper wheel at the front or at the rear of the lower shearing wheel, the direction of the cut will be parallel to said plane and at right-angles to said lines. If the upper wheel is setintermediate any two of the four positions mentioned above, the direction of the cut will be diagonal to said plane and said two parallel lines. The direction'of the cut is dependent upon the direction of the feed, and the direction of the feed changes with the change of position of the upper shearing wheel; i

If a sheet of material which is to be cutis so long as to make it inconvenient to turn it in a horizontal plane on the cuttin point to change the direction of the cut, t e operator turns the hand wheel, C to move the upper shearingwheel in its orbit in the appropriate direction and to the necessary extent. Then the feed of the sheet becomes changed accordingly. In many cases, it is convenient to turn the sheet through a limited range while the cutting'is proceeding, but not convenient to make a considerable change in the direction of the feed. In such cases, the hand wheel may be turned for changing the general course of feed and the sheet may be turned for effecting limited additional variation in the direction of the feed.

' In some cases, asheet is longer than the throat space. Then the'turning of the sheet is much limited. Yet the cut may be made in any desired direction by appropriately moving the upper shearing wheel in its orbit. In this manner small and large circles and curves of various forms may be cut.

, 'Angles may also be cut in any desired form.

The split nut, A, is to be so positioned'on the screw shaft, A?, as to make contact with the lowerface of the arm, A when the lower shearing wheel is at the proper elevation to make the desired inter-engagement between the two shearing wheels. The split nut is made adjustable on the screw shaft in order to rovide for variation of the height of the lower shearing wheelv when said nut makes contact with the arm, A When a sheet of materialwhich is to be out is to be inserted for beginning cutting at some point within the body of the sheet, the hand wheel, A", is turnedin the proper direction to move said shaft downward, whereby the lower shearing wheel is moved downward awa from the upper shearing wheel. Then, a er the shearing wheel reaches its working position. K I

: 'By'shifting the base plate, C horizontally on the turret body, proper initial horizontal relation between the shearing wheels is established; and subsequently horizontal readjustment of the upper shearing wheel may be made tocompensate .for reduction .of diameter of either or both of the wheels through 'regrinding, the grinding of each wheel being done on the periphery;

- Regarding the peculiar position of the axis of'rotation' of the upper shearing wheel, itmay be further statedthat'said axis is tangential and oblique to the periphery of animaginary cylinder formed with its axis coincident wheelv a As already'indicated, the sheet to be cut is placed horizontally between the two shearing wheelsand is maintained-in that 'p'osito the axis of the lower shearing "tion during the shearing operation.' The plane in which said sheet rests may be regarded as'the sheetfplane. ,It is to be observed that the upper face of "the lower shearing wheel ispresented'flatwise to the shearing plane and that theothe'r shearing wheel is located above said plane and has its edge meeting the edge of the lower shearing wheel in said plane.

' I claim as my invention,

" 1. In a machine of the nature described, a I

pair" of rotary shearing wheels. having coworking edges, means supporting the first axial lineco-ineident withthe axial linelof first'wheel and for rotationon anaxial line wh ch 1S11OIl-CO-1I1b1d611t'with the axlal line of revolution, and driving means forro-f substantially as described,

2. In a machine of thenaturedescribed',

tating the second wheel on itsrotat-ion' axis,

a pair of rotary shearing. wheels having co Y workingedges, means supporting the first ofsaidlwheelsgfor rotation on a relatively fixed axis, means for supporting the second of said wheels for revolution around an axial line co -incident with the axial line of the first Wheel and for rotation on an axial line which is non-co-incidentwith the axial line of revolution, and driving means for simultaneously rotating said shearing wheels on their axes, substantially as de scribed.

3. In a machine of the nature described, a pair of rotary shearing wheels having coworking edges, means supporting the first of said wheels for rotation on a relatively fixed axis, means for supporting the second of said wheels for revolution around an axial line co-incident with the axial line of the first wheel and for rotation on an axial line which is non-co-incident with the axial line of revolution, and yieldingly-engaged driving means for rotating the second wheel on its rotation axis, substantially as described.

4:. In a machine of the nature described, a pair of rotary shearing wheels having coworking edges, means supporting the first of said wheels for rotation on a relatively fixed axis, means for supporting the second of said wheels for revolution around an axial line co-incident With the axial line of the first wheel and for rotation on an axial line which is non-co-incident with the axial line of revolution, and driving means for simultaneously rotating said shearing wheels on their axes, one of said driving means being in yielding engagement, substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the nature described, a pair of rotary shearing wheels having coworking edges, means supporting the first of said wheels for rotation on a relatively fixed axis, means for supporting the second of said wheels for revolution around an axial line co-incident with the axial line of the first wheel and for rotation on an axial means being in yielding engagement, sub-' stantially as described.

6.:In a machine of the" nature described, pair 'of' rotary shearing wheels having cowork ng edges, means "supportingthe first of said wheels "for"-rotation;on' a relatively fixedaxis, means for supporting the second ofsald wheels for revolution"around an axial l1ne. co-incident with the axial line of the'first'wheel a'ndfor rotationon an axial lir'lewhich 'isnon-co-incident with the axial line offrevolution; I manual means for rotating said "supporting means, and driving meansfor'rotating' the second wheel on its rotation axis, substantially, as described.

' 7. Iii a machine of the nature described, a pair of rotary shearing wheels having coworking edges, means supporting the first of said wheels for rotation on a relatively fixed axis, means for supporting the second of said wheels for revolution around an axial line co-incident with the axial line of the working edges, means supporting the first of said wheels for rotation on a relatively fixed axis, a turret on the axial line of said first Wheel, a shaft supported by said turret and having its upper end extending into said axial line and having its lower end extending away from said line and supporting the second of said wheels, and a second shaft lorated on said axial line above and in engagement with the first-mentioned shaft, and driving means for rotating said second shaft. substantially as described.

9. In amachine of the nature described, a pair of rotary shearing wheels having coworking edges, means supporting the first of said wheels for rotation on a relatively fixed axis, a turret on the axial line of said first wheel, a shaft supported by said turret and having its upper end extending into said axial line and having its lower end extending away from said line and supporting the second of said wheels, and a second shaft located on said axial line above and in engagement with the firstmentioned shaft, and yieldingly-engaged driving means for rotating said second shaft, substantially as described.

10. In ,a machine of the nature described, a pair of rotary shearing wheels having coworking edges, means supporting the first of said wheels for rotation on a relatively fixed axis, a turret on the axial line of said first wheel, a shaft supported by said turret and having its upper end extending into said axial line and having its lower end extending away fromtsaid line and supporting the second of said wheels, and a second shaft located on said axial line above and in engagement with the first-mentioned shaft, driving means for rotating said second shaft, and manual'means for turning said turret, substantially as described.

11. In a machine of the nature described, a pair of rotary shearing wheels having coworking edges, means supporting the first of said wheels for rotation on ya relatively fixed .axis, laterally adjustable means for supporting the second of said wheels for revolution around an axial line co-incident with the axial line of the first Wheel and for rotation on an axial line which is non-coincident with the axial line of revolution, and driving means for rotating the second wheel on its rotation axis, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name this 2nd day of October, in the year one thousand nine hundred and seventeen.

CHARLES B. GRAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

